Manoa Faculty Senate Chair Tom Schroeder called the Senate to order at
3:08 PM.

1. The minutes of March 16 where approved after the correction of two
typing errors.

2. The candidates for the new Senate Executive Committee (SEC) were
introduced, and the persons elected by the Senate for the next SEC
were announced: Denise Konan, Bill Lampe, Barry Raleigh and Jim
Tiles. When there is a vacancy on the SEC, the runner up, Martha
Staff, will join the SEC.

3. Robert Bley-Vroman introduced and read the Resolution on revising
the Charter and Bylaws of the All-Campus Council of Faculty Senate
Chairs (ACCFSC).

Proposed new Charter and Bylaws for the All-Campus Council of Faculty
Senate Chairs

BACKGROUND

The All-Campus Council of Faculty Senate Chairs is a System-level
organization of representatives of all the senates in the System--not
just the campus-level senates (Manoa Faculty Senate, for example), but
also the senates of units within campuses (the senates of
college-level units within Manoa, for example). The System
organization charts show an an advisory line to the President's
office.

The All-Campus Council provides a venue for faculty leaders from
throughout the System to share matters of mutual concern. It is a
place where the President and System administrators can bring matters
for discussion: often the members of the Council will then take these
matters back to their individual senates, especially if some sort of
official approval is required. The Council is not an authoritative
body. It is not a System-level senate. The Manoa representatives have
insisted on an important and very useful, but limited role for the
Council.

The former Charter and Bylaws reflected an earlier structure of the
System. For example, they assumed the existence of a formal Community
College faculty council. Also, because of various changes and
accretions to the documents, including a set of "working procedures"
of dubious validity, documents had become self-contradictory, to the
extent that it was unclear that a legitimate election of officers
could take place.

This year, an ad hoc committee of the Council drafted a new Charter
and Bylaws. The governance documents describe a more-or-less standard
"vanilla" structure for a this type of body. Features of proposal that
are of interest to Manoa are these: First, Manoa wanted to have the
ability to send two representatives to the Council, not just the
Senate Chair; this was incorporated into the documents; second, Manoa
wanted to make sure that the Council explicitly said that its actions
could not supersede those of an individual senate; this was
done. Third, Manoa was interested in ensuring that it would be
possible for a Manoa Senate representative to be elected co-chair of
the Council. The proposed Bylaws do specify that one co-chair must be
from a community college; the other co-chair might be from Manoa (or
Hilo or West O'ahu); this is acceptable.

RESOLUTION

Ratification of the Charter and Bylaws for the
All-Campus Council of Faculty Senate Chairs

WHEREAS the present Charter and Bylaws of the All-Campus Council of
Faculty Senate Chairs are obsolete, not reflecting the function of the
Council in the University of Hawai'i System as currently organized;
and

WHEREAS the present Charter and Bylaws are defective and internally
contradictory; and

WHEREAS a new Charter and Bylaws have been drafted that correct these
difficulties and respond to current realities; and

WHEREAS these new proposed governance documents were the subject of
extensive discussion within the Council; and

WHEREAS the proposed governance documents respond to concerns raised
by representatives of the Manoa Faculty Senate, in particular the need
of the Manoa Faculty Senate to be able to send two representatives to
the Council, for the sake of maintaining continuity and sharing
workload; and

WHEREAS the proposed governance documents explicitly stipulate that
the All-Campus Council is not a body that speaks with an authority
that supersedes that of individual senates;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Manoa Faculty Senate ratifies the
proposed new Charter and Bylaws of the All-Campus Council of Faculty
Senate Chairs, as attached to and forming a part of this resolution.

Davis Ross asked if the revisions give the ACCFSC more power than it
now has.

Schroeder replied that the intention is the opposite--to de-emphasize
its decision-making potential and to increase its utility as a
systemwide discussion group. He noted that this year's ACCFSC had been
a very collegial and useful body.

The Resolution was unanimously passed. The revised ACCFSC Charter and
Bylaws are appended at the end of these minutes.

CAPP Chair David Ross introduced the CAPP resolution with an
explanation of the key issue the committee had to face: whether the
Ethnobotany degree should be a BS degree or a BA degree. The faculty
members requesting the Ethnobotany degree wanted it to be a BS, and
felt they made the case for it. Some members of the CAPP felt there
was not enough math and science for it to be a BS degree, and that a
BA degree was therefore called for.

The matter was complicated by the fact that there seems to be neither
official criteria at UH distinguishing the two degrees nor uniformity
in how the degree is applied across the campus: there are examples of
BA degrees as well as BS degrees in other science departments and of
BS degrees in humanity departments that otherwise offer BA
degrees. There appear to be no WASC standards, and a survey of other
institutions also revealed great variability.

Nonetheless, CAPP offers the following resolution which recommends
that the Ethobotany grant a BA degree, and not the BS they want:

CAPP Resolution on Proposed Degree in Ethnobotany

1) Whereas in 2002 the Botany department proposed a Bachelor of
Science degree in Ethnobotany; and

2) Whereas the current University resources appear adequate for the
program as proposed; and

3) Whereas the popularity of course offerings in ethnobotany at UH
indicates a demand for such a program; and

4) Whereas the proposed curriculum looks suitable for an undergraduate
degree; and

5) Whereas there is not currently a standard at the campus level
delineating the distinction between the BS and BA degrees; and

6) Whereas the program has a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary work
in areas outside of science; and

7) Whereas few of the upper-division courses required for the degree
have science prerequisites; and

8) Whereas the Botany department describes its current BS degree as
"designed for those students who plan a career in science...especially
those intending to do graduate studies;" and

9) Whereas there are currently no avenues for graduate work in
ethnobotany that are not also available to students with more
traditional majors; and

10) Whereas even the Botany department does not accept Botany 105
(Ethnobotany) as part of their BS program; and

11) Whereas CAPP has not seen sufficient evidence of benefit to the
University or to students of calling the degree a BS instead of a BA;
therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED that

The proposed bachelor's degree in Ethnobotany be approved, but as a
Bachelor of Arts rather than a Bachelor of Science degree.

Kent Bridges of the Botany Department rose to thank CAPP for its work
and to explain that the Ethnobotany program at UHM is the best in the
world, headed by the most well-known ethnobotanist, Will McClatchey,
on the planet. He pointed that the BS degree had been supported by all
prior reviewers and that McClatchey had twice met with the CAPP and
assumed he had resolved all concerns. The proposed degree is hardcore,
difficult, and deeply connected to science. It is not a "Botany Lite"
degree in any way.

Ken Kipnis wanted to know if there were similar programs at other
universities and whether they offered BS or BA degrees.

McClatchey replied that there are no other degrees in operation now,
but that many are being developed, all assuming a BS degree. He added
that the National Science Foundation supports ethnobotany in its
ecology and biology division. Ethnobotany is being supported
especially at other universities that have strong indigenous programs,
as UH does.

Several people noted it was difficult to discuss the proposal since it
was not attached to the agenda--only the resolution was there.

After further discussion, Halina Zaleski moved that the resolution be
amended by removing the 11th "Whereas" and deleting everything from
"but as a Bachelor of Arts?."

Matt McGranaghan seconded the motion.

After further discussion, Tom Ramsey moved to table the matter until
everyone could see the proposal Ethnobotany had submitted. Several
people said this was unfair since the degree had been under review for
such a long time. The question was called and the motion to table was
defeated:

Favor--7
Opposed--32
Abstain--1

Kipnis reminded everyone that UH had no policy concerning BS and BA
degrees and the program had been under review by faculty bodies for
four years. It was time to approve it.

Amarjit Singh agreed, adding that nonspecialists should not interfere
in the work of specialists. If Botany agrees this program merits a BS
degree, we should concur. We should not micromanage this program. He
added that we should delete all "whereas" classes from 5 through 11.

Ross pointed out that CAPP had not been reviewing the program for four
years--only since the middle of Spring last year, and that everyone
CAPP spoke with, except Botany, favored a BA and not a BS degree. He
added that if the Manoa Faculty Senate does not have the right and
obligation to approve academic programs, then what is it for?

There was a question about the import of Whereas number 10, that says
"even the Botany department does not accept Botany 105 (Ethnobotany)
as part of their BS program."

Someone answered that that Botany does not count any of its 100 level
courses for its BS degree. But Tom Ramsey countered that Botany 105
counts as social science (DS) in the diversification requirements.

The question was called on the amendment, which now included the
deletion of all Whereas clauses 5-11, and everything from "but as a
Bachelor of Arts?" in the final sentence.

The amendment was passed:

Favor--32
Oppose--8
Abstain--4

There was then some discussion as to whether the proposal that was now
being defended by Ethnobotany was in fact the same as the one CAPP
considered. It seems to have more detail.

McClatchey agreed that the document was modified as time passed and
prerequisites and other things became available that had not existed
originally.

The question was called and the vote on calling the question passed:

Favor--27
Opposed--8
Abstain--5

The vote on the Resolution as amended with its deletions was held, and
the amended resolution passed:

Favor--24
Opposed--12
Abstain--6

The Resolution thus states:

1) Whereas in 2002 the Botany department proposed a Bachelor of
Science degree in Ethnobotany; and

2) Whereas the current University resources appear adequate for the
program as proposed; and

3) Whereas the popularity of course offerings in ethnobotany at UH
indicates a demand for such a program; and

Whereas the safety of every individual on the Manoa campus is a
concern of all,

Whereas there has been a marked increase in the density of people on
the Manoa campus,

Whereas there is a dangerous mix of automobiles, bicycles, skateboards
and pedestrians on campus,

Whereas some campus users exhibit complete disregard for the safety of
others, as well as their own safety, and

Whereas the probability of serious conflicts and injuries is
escalating, therefore

Be it resolved that the Manoa Faculty Senate demands that the Manoa
Chancellor's Office develop, implement and enforce an appropriate set
of policies that will improve the safety of all users of the Manoa
campus.

Lukas pointed out that the campus has gotten much more dangerous
because of the increase of students, many of which ride skateboards,
roller blades, bicycles and mopeds dangerously on campus. But there is
no clear policy against this, and thus no enforcement. This is an
accident waiting to happen, he said, reminding the Senate that a
bicyclist had in fact been killed by a truck on Maile Way a few years
ago. It is also a lawsuit waiting to happen if we don't enact a policy
soon.

Mary Tiles said that to be fair, we also need to ask for a campus
redesign that will permit safer vehicular use.

Lukas replied that this was implied in the phrase "appropriate set of
policies".

Ross asked, "Didn't we do this before?"

Schroeder responded that we did ask for a policy on campus
security--which may finally be coming--but that the present resolution
was dealing with an issue the security taskforce did not address.

The question was called, and the Resolution was approved as submitted:

6. Committee on Research Resolution on the Research and Training
Revolving Fund (RTRF) was introduced:

Resolution on Research Training and Revolving Funds (RTRF)

WHEREAS the UH Manoa faculty are not informed as to how RTRF (Research
Training and Revolving Funds) are spent and there currently exists no
accountability to the faculty for the spending of RTRF funds and

WHEREAS the major source of RTRF funds is the reimbursement of
indirect costs of federal research grants, and these indirect costs
are provided by the federal government to support research
infrastructure and

WHEREAS the faculty at UH Manoa are dependent on the research
infrastructure and

WHEREAS each individual unit determines and develops programs in part
based on the distribution of RTRF funds

BE IT RESOLVED that the Manoa Faculty Senate requests a yearly report
in September from the Offices of the Vice President for Research and
the Vice Chancellor for Research at Manoa, as to how RTRF funds were
used in the previous year and

BE IT RESOLVED that the Vice President for Research and the Vice
Chancellor for Research will also present their plans for the
distribution of RTRF funds the current year and

BE IT RESOLVED that the Manoa Faculty Senate requests that plans for
RTRF distribution from the Offices of the Vice President for Research
and the Vice Chancellor for Research be made in consultation with the
Manoa Faculty Senate.

Chair Schroedcer informed the Senate that the Vice Chancellor for
Research had already agreed to extend the current RTRF agreement for
another year, and that is good. This resolution just wants to add
transparency and accountability into the process.

William Haning then reviewed a PowerPoint presentation on the John A
Burns School of Medicine, concentrating primarily on the implications
of its physical move from the Manoa campus to new buildings in
Kakaako.

Questions that followed dealt mainly with whether JABSOM would spin
off as a separate campus from Manoa or stay part of Manoa
administratively; whether various courses taught by JABSOM on the
Manoa campus would continue to be taught as before; and whether JABSOM
was planning a PhD degree.

Haning that the details of all of these things were still being
discussed and no definite decisions had yet been made.

Mat McGranaghan introduced a resolution from the floor for discussion
next time. The resolution read:

Resolution on BS, BA and Other Degrees, from the floor

Whereas there is not currently a campus standard for the distinctions
between the BS, the BA, and other degrees offered by the various
colleges, and

Whereas there is no administrative supra-college coordination of
academic programs, and

Whereas this has been a recent problem in the deliberations of the
Committee on Academic Policies and Programs,

THEREFORE be it resolved that

The Manoa Faculty Senate encourages the Vice Chancellor for Academic
Affairs to examine the feasibility of establishing standards for the
various degrees and mechanisms for inter-college curriculum
coordination.

There was a second.

A quorum call was requested, and since there was not a quorum, the
senate adjourned at 4:55 PM.